The Hindu : Sport / Athletics : Obikwelu retains 100m title

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 10, 2006

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Sport - Athletics

Obikwelu retains 100m title

GOTEBORG (Sweden): Francis Obikwelu of Portugal overcame a slow start to retain the men's 100 metres title at the European athletics championships on Tuesday.

Obikwelu clocked 9.99 seconds, a meet record and the fastest time in Europe this year. Andrey Yepishin of Russia won the silver in 10.10 while

The bronze went to Matic Osovnikar of Slovenia at 10.14.

American-born Andrew Howe became the first man to win a long jump medal for Italy at the Europeans when he cleared 8.20m.

Carolina Kluft, the Olympic and World heptathlon champion, defended her European title by scoring 6,740 points to break the 20-year-old meet record of 6,717 set by Anke Behmer of East Germany.

Kluft has not lost a heptathlon in five years.

Karin Ruckstuhl of the Netherlands won the silver at 6,423, and Lilli Schwarzkopf of Germany was third at 6,420.

Jan Fitschen of Germany surged ahead in the final lap to upset two Spaniards for the gold medal in the men's 10,000m. He clocked 28:10.94, slashing nine seconds off his personal best. Defending champion Jose Manuel Martinez was second in 28:12.06, and Juan Carlos de la Ossa third in 28:13.73.

Francisco Fernandez of Spain won the men's 10-km walk in 1 hour, 17 minutes, 22 seconds. Valeriy Borchin of Russia was second in 1:20.00, a personal best, and Joao Vieira of Portugal third in 1:20.09, a national record.

World record-holder Tatyana Lysenko won the last medal of the day in the women's hammer throw at 76.67m, leading a Russian 1-2. Gulfiya Khanafeyeva was second at 74.50, and Kamila Skolimowska of Poland third at 72.58.

Also, Merlene Ottey made her European debut — at age 46. — AP

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